HS Tennis: Bulldog golf team looking for better start

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, April 13, 2010

The last time the Midland High boys golf team made a trip to the San Angelo Country Club, the Bulldogs were left scratching their heads and wondering what was next.

But now nearly three weeks later, Midland High, along with Lee, is returning to the sight of the first round of the District 2-5A South Zone Tournament for the opening round of the District 2-5A Tournament.

And this time, Midland High coach Billy Mitchell hopes his squad will have a much better start. The two-day tournament begins today at the San Angelo Country Club.

“They are positive and excited about going down there and playing, and part of them want to redeem themselves on the golf course,” Mitchell said. “They are definitely not afraid of it, though. But that golf course is one of the hardest that we will play all year long.”

On March 26, Midland High’s top team shot a disappointing 340, including an 87 from top player Martin Board, in the first round of the South Zone tournament at San Angelo Country club, while the second team shot a 328.

That day prompted a number of changes by Mitchell to protect the position in the standings to at least get one team to the district tournament. Mitchell changed three of the five players and the Bulldogs stayed in third after the second round, and then took second last week in the third round in Odessa with a 302 team score.

Martin Board, Michael Board, Chandler Smith, Cody Mulloy and Will Lester will make up the Midland High squad for the next two days.

“I have a good feeling about going down,” Mitchell said. “They’ve known all year that we can play with just about anybody if we can get going. That last round in Odessa, really put them at ease.”

Lee, meanwhile, comes in with not as much momentum as Midland High as they fell back to third place, but the Rebels have been steady throughout the three South Zone rounds.

Lee was a couple of strokes from qualifying for the regional tournament last year after finishing third in the zone tournament, and Rebel coach Bobby Dunn said his squad has to play its best golf of the year.

David Maness, Sterling Melton, Lawrence Feuer, Steven Wright and Mason Varner will make up the Lee squad this week.

“You never know how you are going to play, but if they play like they are capable they’ve got a chance,” said Dunn, who revealed on Tuesday that he was going to coach golf at Lee for at least one more year. “We can’t count an 84 or 85 and expect to compete with those people from Amarillo High and Odessa Permian.”

When: Today-Thursday

Where: San Angelo Country Club

Format: Top two teams advance to Region I-5A tournament, and top two individuals not on top teams also advance to regional tournament